US Edition
French Champagne Makers Accused of Human Trafficking
- A human trafficking trial opened in 2023 in Reims, France, involving three accused exploiting over 50 seasonal grape-pickers.
- The workers, mainly undocumented migrants from West Africa, were recruited via a WhatsApp message promising well-paid work in champagne vineyards.
- The accused allegedly transported workers in vans without windows, forced them to work from early morning to evening without pay, and housed them in unsanitary, unsafe conditions at Nesle-le-Repons.
- Prosecutors described the housing as a dilapidated building with exposed wiring, filthy toilets, and outdoor living areas, stating it harmed workers' security, health, and dignity.
- If convicted, the accused could face up to seven years in prison, fines, and dissolution of the implicated cooperative, while the trial highlights ongoing concerns about labor exploitation in the champagne industry.
42 Articles
42 Articles
"Like slaves" the victims should have worked. In France, the prosecutor's office is prosecuting against three overexploitors for horrifying working conditions in grape growing. Their clients are not on trial.
Suspected of having exploited and indignantly housed 57 undocumented workers in 2023, four persons appeared on Thursday at the Châlons-en-Champagne Correctional Court, which will issue its decision in a month's time.
Daily Journal
French champagne makers face prison in human trafficking trial
French prosecutors have requested two years behind bars for an employer in the champagne sector accused of human trafficking, exploiting seasonal workers and housing them in appalling conditions during the 2023 grape harvest.
French trial exposes human trafficking among champagne workers
Conditions for grape-pickers in France’s champagne business lie at the heart of a human trafficking trial that has opened in the eastern city of Reims.Three people – a woman from Kyrgyzstan, a man from Georgia and a Frenchman – are accused of exploiting more than 50 seasonal workers, mainly from west Africa.
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